Strollerderby : Target

Getting Lost: Funny Story or Major Tragedy?

Kate Tuttle — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:31:00 GMT

Have you ever lost your child -- in the park, the mall, or even your backyard? Or were you ever lost as a child -- or rather, did you wander away happily, only to find later that your parents were searching high and low? Are today's parents more easily freaked out by lost kids (due to hyped up fears of stranger danger and so forth), or is the misplaced child one of those universal and timeless parental fears? And are today's kids less well prepared for what to do when they get lost, less well prepared for taking care of themselves in general than when we were kids?

Two recent mom-bloggers have explored this topic, inspired at least in part by the news story from a few days back of the five-year-old who ended up riding the subway alone in New York. As Lisa Belkin says in her New York Times Motherlode blog, it's useful to focus on what didn't happen: "The child was not kidnapped, or crushed by a train, or gone forever." Belkin then touts the work of Lenore Skenazy, author of Free Range Kids: Giving Our Kids The Freedom We Had Without Going Nuts With Worry. On Skenazy's blog, she invited readers to share their stories of losing kids in public places, and ends by reminding us that "even one of parenting’s biggest fears - being separated in a public place from your child - usually ends up with a big sigh of relief. And, when possible, ice cream." Both posts are followed by dozens of great stories (hilarious and harrowing in equal measure), many of which include fantastic advice. Boiling it down here:

Parents should establish basic rules about what they want their kids to do if separated from them, and TELL THEIR KIDS.
While there's no one right method, some popular ones are: child should go to a cash register and wait there/ask for help, child should go to a mother with kids and ask for help, child should go to a person in uniform (mall cop, cop) and ask for help.
On public transportation, the subway rule rules:
a. If you are on the train, and the grown-up(s) are NOT on the train, get off at the next stop and wait. The grown-ups will come to you.

b. If you are off the train, and the grown-ups are ON the train, stand still and wait. DO NOT GET ON THE NEXT TRAIN. The grown-ups will come to you.

c. If you’re just lost, in general, stand still and wait. The grown-ups will come to you.

d. If you’re exceedingly lost and grown-ups haven’t shown up, it’s okay to ask a store employee or a cop or another grown-up to call security to have us paged. (children should learn their parents' cellphone numbers as young as possible) Do not hold anybody’s hand or go wandering off - there’s a good chance we’ll still show up exactly where you are.
For the very very rare times in which your child might actually be in danger, it's a good idea to have a recent photo of your child -- one parent points out that with today's cellphones, if you take a picture of your child that day, in that day's clothes, before you set off for the mall or the zoo, it could be helpful later.

So how about you, Babble readers? Have you lost a kid yet? Or do you remember being lost yourself as a child? What are your worst fears and best tips? For me, I worry far less about abduction by a stranger -- statistically the chances are nearly nil -- but a lost child can be in danger from more common threats (cars, drowning, exposure). So I think it's a great idea to have a set of family rules, covering both how not to get lost (stick with me, make sure you can see me, come when I call you) and what to do if you are.

photo: Weegee, "Lost Children," 1941

More by this author:

They Say: Bilingual Babies Learn Better

Why Are We So Shocked When Women Kill?

(Public) Breastfeeding Now Legal in Massachusetts

Another Hospital Baby Mix-Up, Now With Added Racism!

What They're Babbling About: Guilty Pleasures

JeanneSager — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:03:00 GMT

Turns out the "bad parents" of Babble aren't the only ones who love to talk taboos. We've all got our guilty pleasures, does anyone think becoming a parent means they go hide in some closet with that stained onesie they wore home from the hospital and we just can't bear to part with?

Dig in to the dirt with this week's What They're Babbling About:

Attention discount shoppers, Target's got a fan in San Francisco. The reason every parent should fall in line - their return policy lets you say "My toddler decided today she doesn't like it quite as much as yesterday and will now have nothing to do with it. For no reason." Like your kid hasn't done that. - The Poop

The CPSIA is the new law parents love to hate, but there's still a lot to be said about fighting the lead fight. Are we suddenly becoming complacent after years of indignation? The author of Toxic Truth offers an interesting look at lead's scary past. - Beacon Broadside

Are you as in love with the Mom in Chief as we are? The parents at Cookie Mag are - they've got Michelle Watch going on 24/7, as they follow the First Lady's first one hundred days in office - Cookie

I'd love to tell you I remember every second of every moment of my daughter's first one hundred days. Unfortunately, as Sabrina Weill points out, my momnesia's nothing new. At least that's what I think I remember her saying. - Parent Dish

Sometimes I can't remember what about my daughter has me up in arms either - sound familiar? Sounds like I'm not the only parent who can't hang on to her righteous indignation - ParentDish

Image: Cookie

Baby Born Healthy After Mother Shot in Side

Kate Tuttle — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 15:02:00 GMT

Five months after being shot in the side while riding on a motorcycle, Alissa Musser gave birth to a healthy daughter. Musser, 26, was a passenger that day when the motorcycle went by a sporting club outside Pittsburgh, PA. A 47-year-old target shooter's round went astray, traveling a mile to hit Musser in the ribcage.

Although she wasn't seriously injured in the incident, she spent the next five months worrying about her child's health; her worries were put the rest with the birth of seven pound, 11 ounce Scarlett Keagan.

Anyone who's suffered a fall or other worrisome accident while pregnant will have some inkling of her relief. Scarlett's mother says they've already started calling the baby by an appropriate nickname: Lucky.

More By This Author:

Kittens Have Their Say (Aided by Nutty Six-Year-Old)

Twenty-Year-Old Kidnapping Solved

Little Girl with Bowel Disease Kept Alive on Donated Breastmilk

They Say: More Abuse, Neglect Among Bottle-Feeding Moms

Skinny Jeans for Little Boys?

Cole Gamble — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Ever worry your 6-year-old boy doesn’t have enough hipster credibility? Well slip him into some heroin-chic skinny jeans!

Recently Charlene over at Shine discovered this new fashion trend while jeans shopping for her son. At first, she couldn’t tell what she was looking at:

Could it be the fact that they looked like tights? Even better. They were skinny jeans for little boys. As in, size four and up. (They're apparently designed by snowboarder Shaun White, which I guess is supposed to make them cool?)

I honestly had to read the sign twice to make sure it said "Boys' Skinny-Fit Jeans." Yep. It did. And you could buy a pair for twenty bucks, which is like grand theft at Target because you can find normal boys' jeans for US$10.

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Should You Take A Risk on Orgasmic Birth? (Orgasmic Birth Video included)

4 Ways Birth and Breastfeeding Will Ruin Sex

8-Year-Old Too Young to Divorce?

The 33 Most Ridiculous Toys Ever

Pete Wentz: "I've Tasted Ashley's Breast Milk."

Teacher Beats Student to Death for Late Homework

A Guy’s Take on Stay at Home Moms and Dads (Part 1: The Cons)

Banana Dildos and the 10 Worst Toys and Gifts This Christmas (part 1)

Desert Island Disks – Kid Music Edition

My son is 2, so I’m feeling a little left out. Where can I turn to dress my boy up like Joey Ramone?

Last Day For Free Holiday Shipping

Brett Singer — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:15:00 GMT

With the economy in shambles (even the wealthy are losing big money) I wanted to do my part to tell people how to save a little cash this holiday season. We began with Please Buy Stuff Part 1 – Cheap Toys, which featured a half-off toy sale at Target. Now here is Please Buy Stuff Part 2 – Free Shipping.

If you put off your holiday shopping because you were (a) busy, (b) waiting until the last possible second in an attempt to secure the best price, or (c) all of the above, more than 100 merchants are in your corner. On Thursday, December 18, web retailers from 1800Mustang (specializing in Mustang parts – the cars, not the horses) to Zappos.com (shoes) will ship your stuff for free AND guarantee delivery by Christmas. On the list are Babies R Us, Apple, Big Toe Soccer, OhToy.com – a huge list, and it keeps growing, according to FreeShippingDay.com.

Once again, procrastinators are rewarded. In fact, the web site even says, "Free Shipping Day is the last chance for many procrastinators."

As one who celebrates Chanukah, I wish the same deal applied for the festival of lights. That said, The First Night of Jewy Christmas coincides nicely with Actual Christmas this year – the evening of December 21, with the final night occurring on December 28. So you can pick up some chachkis to give the kids on the first few days (thereby supporting your local merchants), then give them the good stuff later in the week.

That actually works well for the way we do Chanukah in our house. We do eight gifts, but most are of the smaller variety, with a big one on or about the final night. So although FreeShippingDay unsurprisingly focuses on Christmas, it also works for Chanukah, as well as Kwanzaa, which begins on December 26.

It's as if merchants everywhere are saying, "Please – please buy something! The toys are half price, you get free shipping with guaranteed holiday delivery even if you wait until the last minute – wouldja just buy something already? Please? No, really. Buy something. Anything. What's that? My watch? Um, it's not for sale… oh, you'll take a Barbie Dream Car Set if I throw in my watch? And my shoes? Uh… sure! It's the holidays. Why not? Merry New Year!"

Anyone else feel like retailers are desperate? And while it's nice to be the beneficiary of some of this stuff-based holiday cheer, doesn’t it feel a teeny bit weird?

Oh well. Get it while the getting's good. Nothing distracts a kid from the world's problems like a shiny new toy. And seeing them open it is still one of the best freebies around.

Are You Cutting Back This Holiday Season?

Indiana Planned Parenthood Sells Gift Certificates

What NOT to Tell Your Child After You've Been Laid Off

White House Sends Chanukah Card With Christmas Tree On It

It's Hip Hop . . . for Babies

They Say – Most Toys Are Toxic

Parents Make Son Hold 'I Will Never Shoplift Again' Signs

Mini Baby Sculptures Not Edible, Selling Like Hotcakes

Toy Libraries: An Idea in Need of a Comeback?

Girly Gift Guide

Vonage Offers Free Calls To Santa

Make Your Own Religious Doll

Half Price Toys at Target

Brett Singer — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:00:00 GMT

With the economy in shambles (even the wealthy are losing big money) I wanted to do my part to tell people how to save a little cash this holiday season. So here is Please Buy Stuff Part 1 – Cheap Toys.

* * *

Has anyone else noticed how cheap toys are right now?

I get at least one email per day from Toys R Us practically begging me to buy something… anything… just buy a toy! Please! 50% off is not uncommon. It seems like the closer it gets to Christmas, the cheaper everything becomes.

Now Target is joining the party with a 50% off sale. The cheapest item is the game Monopoly Town, now priced at $7.99 (down from $15.99). On the high end, you can now get a Kota My Triceratops for $99.99 (was $199.99). Click the image below to see all 50% off items in all their glory, and also visit Target.com.

What's interesting, to me at least, is the fact that I don't seem to care much. Let me explain. I'm a cheapskate and I like bargains. Sometime in the past few years, however, I became less and less interested in shopping. It's not that I don't buy things when we need them. But it's less fun than it used to be. I would attribute this feeling to the economy, but it started before our financial system did its imitation of David Caruso's pre-CSI career. Part of it could be perspective – with two kids, stuff seems less important than it once did. But I'm not buying that (no pun intended). I think it has more to do with being tired (see: two kids), and also slightly overwhelmed by the array of choices out there. As an example, our toaster oven has been broken for several weeks. This thing owes us nothing – I believe we've had it for well over ten years. But it SORT OF works. And when I go online looking for new ones, I quickly get bored and decide to just deal with the old one for a little bit longer.

Some of my merchant-based malaise does have to do with the economy, of course. It seems…unseemly to lust after hi-tech stuff when people are being laid off all over the country.

That said, the kids don't need to suffer for my mishegos. (Except for the toaster oven. That they'll just have to deal with.) And if the toys they want are this cheap, go for it. Besides, isn't it our patriotic duty to go shopping?

Next: how to get free shipping and still get your stuff in time for Christmas (or Chanukah, or Kwanzaa).

Are You Cutting Back This Holiday Season?

Vonage Offers Free Calls To Santa

Make Your Own Religious Doll

Kitchenista: The Candy Bar With Good PR

Madeline Holler — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:37:00 GMT

Conceptually, I love granola bars. They're a candy bar with good PR (just don't read the nutrition label!). In reality (or, at least if you're buying them from Target like I usually do), they're really just souped-up Rice Krispy treats. Not such a bad thing, but oh, they could be so much better.

Mel over at BitchinCamero has a recipe for what will surely turn me away from the store-bought forever. Banana Chocolate Granola Bars (Homemade).

Sure, the recipe still calls for a cup and a half of Rice Krispies (which apparently you can also find in brown rice -- that makes it better, right?). But banana chips? Chocolate? All kinds of nuts? I'll never buy my snacks and home furnishings in the same place again!

Someone try these and and tell me if it's (1) easy and (2) as good as it looks.

5-Minute Cake. Take THAT Easy-Bake Oven!

THFPFT!

Photo: bitchincamero.com

Are You There, Target? It's Me, Mama

Madeline Holler — Tue, 20 May 2008 14:31:00 GMT

Target marketing execs? Are you reading this blog. Awww, that's so sweet of you. On behalf of the others here at Strollerderby, I'd like you to know we're flattered. Flattered and pleased! Pleased that you read us ... AND that you respond, so to speak, with changes ... for the better! For the good of young girls and boys and their Target-shopping families and picky, picky mamas.

Target, you know what I'm talking about. But a bit of background for the readers.

A couple of months ago when I got worked up into a lather over the spring Target circular that showed up in the mail. Every picture of every product was paired with a kid along such predictable and stringent gender lines that even Phyllis Schlafly might have felt uneasy.

Here's the crux:

The message is this: boys play, girls watch, unless boys aren't around, then girls play -- but only with soft, sparkly purple/pink things they can nurture, beautify or use to tidy up the house.

Hey, I'm not saying girls don't play with dolls. Or boys don't like power tools. But does it have to be to the exclusion of everything else? Can't Target just pretend to placate moms like me? Can't they even try? Maybe a girl holding a train and a boy watching a girl swing a pink tennis racket? Out of 51 pages, just one such picture will do.

But this month, with the freshly minted summer circular, there's good news! Girls ride flamed emblazoned fake ATVs! (Alone! No boys in sight!) Boys play in the fake kitchen and do sidewalk art right alongside girls. Sure, boys still get all the squirt guns (and remote control toys) and girls still stand in protest of being squirted. But girls are in it, acting, begging for Star Wars Legos and featured in color themes other than purple and pink.

Target, is this a coincidence or did you listen to Mama?

In any case, you've come a long way, baby.

Image: SFgate

10 Easter Basket Ideas for Your Kids

Cole Gamble — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Oh how I remember my own sweet childhood Easters. The night before my head was giddy with the anticipation of the sweet riches the next day would bring. Also, I was little lightheaded from the Paws dye fumes. The next day, I tore through that basket engulfing every foil wrapped delight. I'd get so strung out on the sugar that I ran around slapping people's backs and giggling at nothing like my uncle on Christmas after a few Maker's Mark and Sevens.

This is the glory of Easter for a child: the one day a year you can act like a little drunk. Or maybe you should go easy on the sugar this year. Here are 10 great ideas for your kid's Easter Basket...

The full list of items can be found here. All of them can be found at common stores like Target and Joann Fabrics. Lots of good easter stuff, like easter-themed books and even an easter sudoku for that toddler who is so over the New York Times crossword. Think of all the easter-candy-rationing fights you'll avoid with your child. Personally, I wish my parents had maybe reigned in the candy on my Easter binges. Maybe I'd still be able to feel my teeth.

Controversy: Nature/Nurture

Amy S.F. Lutz — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 21:30:00 GMT

Madeline's post this week expressing frustration and despair at the blatant sexism in her Target circular definitely pitted the feminist theorists against the . . . I don't know, what do you call those who pretty much said, "Chill out, it's just a Target circular"?

I too was raised to think of gender as a cultural construct. My mom drilled into my head that girls like pink and dolls and dresses and boys like blue and trucks and guns because society tells us we should. And I believed it.

Now, can I hear from all of those who thought as I did until we had children who thwarted our every expectation? Because I KNOW there's a lot of us out there.

You know who you are. You wear track pants every day, yet somehow end up with a girly-girl who won't wear anything but dresses and patent-leather Mary Janes to school. Or, conversely, you know how to put on eye shadow and own trendy ballet flats in six different colors, but your daughter is philosophically opposed to brushing her hair and spends all her time playing soccer.

The fact is, if Piaget can conceive his entire theory of child development from observing his own three children, then I feel perfectly comfortable declaring, after watching the seven kids who live in my house, NATURE RULES. It doesn't mean that boys and girls will always fall into traditional gender roles, although I think that happens the majority of the time. It means that, as martinsgirl noted, "kids like what they like."

Take my twins, Aaron and Gretchen, the youngest in a household teeming with toys, with two older girls and three older boys to serve as role models. By 15 months old, Gretchen was obsessed with baby dolls. She played with them appropriately, pushing them around in buggies and feeding them bottles. Aaron couldn't have cared less. I've also watched my two nephews (3 and 2) become so consumed with sword fighting that they spar with their forks at the table, while their older girl cousins look on, appalled.

I still fight against gender stereotypes. When my girls tell me Minnie Mouse is for girls and Mickey is for boys, or that princess lunchboxes are for girls and Bob the Builder is for boys, I tell them anyone can like anything - and they don't argue with me. That doesn't seem to have much impact on what they like, however.

Target Sells Boys Powertools, Girls Purple Crap

Madeline Holler — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:51:00 GMT

I'm in the middle of "Packaging Girlhood: Rescuing Our Daughters from Marketers' Schemes," which I know is sooooo last year (I'm behind on my reading). So perhaps my knees had been primed to jerk just as this half-catalog/half-circular from Target, featuring all their new spring stuff for kids, showed up in the mail today. I had initially thrown it aside, but then I noticed a $5 coupon. I started flipping.

By about Page 4, I get perturbed. There's a girl watering flowers on the front cover, which is no biggie. Fifty-fifty chance, right? Someone has to water the flowers. On the inside front cover, there's a boy flying a plane. Fine. A boy can like planes.

Next page is sports equipment: the boys are playing on a green field. Girls are cut out on white background -- one's fake-swinging a pink tennis racket, another fake-flinging a pink lacrosse stick, the third is standing up straight and giggling, a pink softball glove perched awkwardly on her hand. ("Gah, what am I supposed to do with this thing?")

Next page: boy flying a remote control helicopter, girl standing across from him with her hands up in surrender, her mouth a perfect circle as if she is saying "ooooooo, Jack, you're really good at that!" Lower on the page, a girl is freaked out by a remote control spider, which takes its commands from a capable but fun-loving (you guessed it) boy.

Flip! A rousing game of something called swingball. Only boys are swinging at the ball. The girls stand in their precious spring dresses and watch. But they're smiling, so they must be having fun anyway.

Flip that page and there's a girl! In an activity! A jumping thing! Way to go, sister!

Annnnnd, the next page: a boy on a cool tear'em up bike, a girl on a super pretty purple bike (with delicate butterflies snapped on to the spokes ... looks too pretty to ride, Mom!)

Then: T-ball, boy. And a next page of character crap. No kids pictured.

I know, quit your bitching. And I can! Because girls are finally represented in the crap-a-log. The next six pages are loaded with girls in all kinds of activities: playing with dolls in a perfect. girly appointed room, taking a stuffed cat out of a pet purse, mixing drinks at the Hannah Montana surf shop, going online with Bratz dolls, having a combined camp-out/princess tea party in the pink tent and dressed in Disney princess costumes.

Awwww, look at that little girl feeding her baby, and now there's a page of girls crafting out! The boys pages come next, with pirates, Spiderman kites, cowboy sheets, Hot Wheels, Pokeman and video games (though the gender balance on video games is equal, if you count using a bionic eye to look at a butterfly not too girly -- at least she wasn't searching for unicorns).

Flip and flip: A boy plays the guitar, a girl works on her letters. A boy loads the race car, a girl wears fake jewelry. A boy plays with trains. A girl, well, she vacuums. Boy has workbench and fake power tools. Girl has melting polar ice-caps, the alphabet and a cute-but-vapid stare.

And on, and on, and on. Not a single gender-role swap in the entire 51-page piece. Not even a token boy in a girl thing, girl in a boy thing. Any "gender neutral" toys mostly didn't have a boy OR a girl interacting with them. Only the item was pictured.

The message is this: boys play, girls watch, unless boys aren't around, then girls play -- but only with soft, sparkly purple/pink things they can nurture, beautify or use to tidy up the house.

Photo: princessproduction.wordpress.com

Trolling Target can Uncover Deals

Amy Kuras — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:19:00 GMT

Secret deals at Target! Secret deals at Target!

Yeah, thought that would get your attention. Much as I want to be all high-minded about avoiding big box stores and their aisles of cheap Chinese crap, I'm totally Target's bitch and I'm willing to bet given the hordes of fellow parents I see there who would typically not be caught dead in a discount store, you are too. Cute kid's clothes! Fashionable shoes and clothes for you! Well-designed housewares! What is not to like?

So I found this post on Wise Bread and got, I confess, just a little tingly.

It lays out what goes on clearance when – for example, today, Thursday, is housewares, lingerie, shoes and sporting goods, among other things. Kid's clothes get marked down on Mondays and toys on Wednesdays.

Target sometimes marks things down in some stores and not others, or puts items on clearance that aren’t tagged as such. A quick scan with those self-scanner thingies they have everywhere can reveal a bargain and is worth a shot if it's something you want but aren’t sure you want to pay full price for.

I can attest to the fact there are deals to be had if you search the endcaps – we scored the Sit-and-Stand stroller we'd wanted anyway for like $85 by catching it on clearance, and it wasn't on clearance anywhere else or on their website. It's normally $125 or so.

There are apparently whole web forums devoted to catching the secret deals, according to Lindsey at Wise Bread. Hmmmm….

Photo: MSNBC.com

Toy Recalls Not Successful

Madeline Holler — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 21:47:00 GMT

Every time I read about yet another product recall, I picture this: customer service lines at Target stretching out the automatic doors, angry hordes of parents holding recalled items aloft while they chant slogans and demand better quality and attention to toy safety.

“The children,” they scream with passion. “What about the children!”

In reality, retailers poised to deal with the onslaught are watching tumble weeds roll by. Most parents are just throwing the lead-covered/choking hazard/impaling risk/finger-severing crap away and moving on.

For example, when Target issued a recall in May of 5,000 000 Anima Bamboo Collection Games because of lead, no units were returned. During a recall of 190,000 Kool Toyz last year due to lead and sharp points, less than 1 percent were returned.

This lack of returns presents a problem for manufacturers in that they can’t actually figure out how effective their recalls are. Did people not get word (how could they not this year?), or did they just not bother sending it back?

Frankly, I think there’s a lack of information about what to do. Do I have to bring back an intact Polly Pocket set (an oxymoron since at least six of the microscopic boots go missing the minute the blister pack is opened) or will Polly herself do? Do I need a receipt? Do I have to remember where it came from? What if it was a gift?

On the bigger items, where there’s a repair kit or a full recall, do you just show up and describe the piece or do you have to break down the crib/play yard/swing set/bunk bed and show proof of ownership?

And for those recalls that require shipment? Forget it. No amount of refund is worth the search for a box, packing and sealing, and standing in line at the post office while your kid’s screaming for you to let her play with it one more time. No amount.

Finally, all those damn serial numbers. Which infant car seat? We’re off by one number … does that matter? And it’s not just any Polly Pocket that was recalled, right? It was a very specific one. How the hell should I know which one? Plus, it’s Polly Pocket? Really, I’m just interested in never seeing her again, so, the trash solution works best for us. Sorry, Mattel.

What about you? During this Summer of Recalls, did you take anything back? Was it easy? Was it worth it?

Photo: New York Times

More Lead Toys are Quietly Leaving the Shelves, Unbeknownst to You and Me

Karen Murphy — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 15:25:00 GMT

Dear Big Retailers,

Hey. Some of us here have been concerned about all the lead toys being recalled. It's no fun having to dispose of Dora in the middle of the night because someone would rather beat her head against the wall repeatedly than give up her Dora. Oh wait. She did that anyway. But you know what I mean, right?

So let me get right down to it.

When I hear that you and some of your Big Retailer friends have been pulling lead-tainted toys off your shelves surreptitiously and without notifying anyone, like, say, those people who manage recalls? For our safety and all? Which means that people LIKE ME might have those toys at home without knowing it? I get kinda pissed off.

It kinda makes me want to out you, you know, Big-Retailer-that-sounds-French-if-you-mispronounce-it? and has a symbol like a bullseye? You and your retailer friend Bollar Peneral and...the other one.

And what makes me REALLY pissed is that I think now I trust Wal-Mart more than I do you. I am totally breaking up with you.

Love,

Everyone

P.S. The dog is going down, too. You watch.

Pregcellent: You Are Getting Sleepy...You Will Do Whatever Liz Lange Says

Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass) — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 19:55:00 GMT

Attention all pregnistas! Stop your prenataling immediately and listen to Liz Lange. Liz Lange makes maternity clothes for the stars! Liz Lange makes maternity clothes for the masses! Liz Lange has two kids! According to a recent press release, "Liz Lange is practically a maternity EXPERT!" But if you are worth your Week 28 weight in maternity info, you already knew that.

I do love Liz's take on belly clothes and I admit, I've come this close to buying some of her adorable capris with the soft elastic waist that beckons me from the Target clearance rack years after I gave birth. I'm just curious as to how her mad design skills make her an expert on all things pregnancy. Among her tips for being pregnant and pretty all at the same time are (and I quote):

1. Dress

"The best thing to do on the days you feel enormous is to actually show off your pregnancy."

Liz strongly urges all expecting mothers to find maternity clothing that fits them properly. Just as in your non-pregnancy life, clothing that is too tight or too loose can make you look and feel larger. Another quick fix for when you are feeling down about your new size? Try what Liz calls "dipping," which is dressing from top to bottom in one color such as black or dark brown.

2. Beauty

"Nothing wakes up your look like mascara, even if you can't stand makeup, invest in a good black mascara to instantly revive your appearance. It's like a cup of coffee for tired eyes."

Liz also suggests treating yourself to a facial every few weeks to really let the glow of maternity shine through. Even if you have never had a facial before in your life, starting during pregnancy is a wise time as many women undergo dramatic complexion changes and need to be re-educated on how to care for their new skin.

3. Exercise

"You're first impulse might be to veg out in front of the TV when you feel crummy, but you should do just the opposite. Don't worry, you don't need to run a marathon, but just a simple walk around the block will get your heart pumping and jumpstart your spirits."

Liz also recommends that women try to schedule some moderate exercise at least 2-3 times a week during their pregnancy. It aids in circulation and strengthens the body for labor. Liz always suggests consulting a doctor before starting any exercise routine, however.

You won't be surprised that our own Kelly said, "Liz can kiss my ass with that 'cup of coffee for tired ass bullhooey." You know what was like a cup of coffee for my tired eyes when I was pregnant? A little good morning romp with the Baby Daddy (Hello and Happy First Trimester!). After 30 weeks, I was very happy to get all dolled up in my hawt maternity clothes after I Benedryled it up through those otherwise sleepless belly-hauling nights. At 3 a.m. with a kicky fetus, swollen feet and an aching back, mascara would become more of a weapon for said Baby Daddy than a tool for rejuvenation. I'm just saying maybe Liz Lange should rethink the whole tip thing.

Liz Lange, you are not the devil, but maybe you should stick to your colored pencils and fabric swatches and let real experts like Lisa Rinna dole out the advice. (That's a joke, people. We all know Lisa Rinna should keep her expertise focused on lip inflation and dramatic soap opera facial expressions).

Pink Balls For Girls

Kelly Mills — Sat, 05 May 2007 12:10:00 GMT

Thank you Title IX! Target has come out with a line of pink sporting goods like mitts, volleyballs, and basketballs. Presumably these are designed for girls, or boys who are comfortable enough with themselves to adopt a rosier approach to athleticism.

On first glance, it might be tempting to hate on this stuff as going with the stereotype. Why do girls get everything marketed to them as princess pink fairy lacy frou frou? But I look at this equipment, and I see a nice revolution. If a girl is in the oh-so-common pink phase, she might like having a ball that appeals to her color love, and therefore be more into trying a sport. And my long range hope is that with more and more girls participating in athletic endeavors, we'll see some serious improvements in the current palette of black-red-orange-forest green-white-gold that dominates most sports. Where's the lavender? The bronze? The aquamarine? The sky blue? (Note: don't send me examples of pro sports teams that use these colors, because they are the exception rather than the norm.) Maybe we'll start seeing some uniforms that aren't an ugly blend of two colors that shouldn't go together. Down with man colors! Grrrl power!

Besides, being a feminist athlete doesn't mean you can't accessorize well or wear something bright. Tennis has had well-known women players for ages, and even though white ruled the sport for a long time, I love some of the newer ensembles. And when we bought this pink mitt for my daughter's T-ball season, it was a big hit on the field. Kids begged for a chance to use it. Interestingly, some of the boys did refuse to borrow it even though they had forgotten their own mitts and would have to catch bare-handed. Time to come around, young sons, and get comfortable with "girl" colors. You'll be seeing a lot more of us with our hot pink and lavender mitts on the field in the future.

Things Fall Apart: Target Bikes

Karen Murphy — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 16:28:00 GMT

I hate it when I sent my kid out to ride his bike and he comes home and tells me the darn thing fell apart. Not that it's happened, not to me and my kid, but it could to you and yours if your kid owns one of the 32,000 Triax PK-7 or Vertical PK-7 bikes sold at Target, which have all been recalled because of cracking frames (so inconvenient, those cracking frames, causing all sorts of trouble, injuries, things like that).

If you own such a thing (identifiable by the model numbers 8509-24 on the Triax and 8596-71& on the Vertical, both 20-inch kids' bikes which sold for about $100), run, don't ride to your nearest Tarjay for a full refund

Things Fall Apart: Little Tree Wood Activity Cart

Karen Murphy — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 18:54:00 GMT

Oh, I would totally buy this. It's made of wood (wood=good!), it's cute, inexpensive (sold at Target for about $20), and it looks like something my son would love. After all, it comes with blocks (for throwing) and wheels (for pushing the thing repeatedly into walls). Yep, Eric would totally love this. Too bad the Little Tree Wood Activity Cart Toy has been recalled, then. That's right, it seems that the hubcaps detach, thus providing a choking hazard. (Oh well, we already have this one from Ikea anyway.)

But if you have one, and you might since about 18,500 people bought one last year or early this year, you can get a refund at Target. Meanwhile, take it away! No chokables! Now! (I'll wait).